edpaffjr.comAs I mention on Friday, Kim and I spent the weekend in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Kim was doing some work and I joined her for a couple of University of North Dakota hockey games. The Ralph Engelstad Arena is just as nice as I pictured it to be. The outside of the building is all brick with many Fighting Sioux logos throughout. The inside is just as lavish, with marble throughout, every seat is leather, and a scoreboard that could put some pro-level arenas to shame.
The hockey was exciting, just as I expected. I’ve always been a fan of college hockey. The University of Wisconsin started off the scoring in the first game and took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first. The Sioux made a comeback in the second, with the score 3-2 Wisconsin at the end. And finally the Sioux evened the score in the third, where it stood until the end of regulation. The overtime action was thrilling, but neither team scored and the game ended in a 3-3 tie.
The second game started off better for the Sioux, as they scored the first goal of the game and had a 2-1 lead at the end of the first. Then Wisconsin turned it on in the second, scoring two goals and taking the lead 3-2.  The third period was back and forth, and eventually each team scored, and the game ended with a 4-3 win for Wisconsin. The Sioux players and fans were visibly upset. The players had a few minor skirmishes after the game, and the tension heated up between the Badger and Sioux fans that were seated on either side of us. Fortunately, it all ended with handshakes on the ice.
Outside of the games, we didn’t do much while in North Dakota. It was freezing cold the entire time we were there, often with temperatures never getting above zero degrees Fahrenheit. We mostly spent our free time running on the treadmills in the hotel, trying to catch up in the quest for 100 miles. We also did some shopping and ate at some local restaurants. The only one worth mentioning was Rhombus Guys pizza, which Kim and I both thoroughly enjoyed.
